Google and Nestlé tie for Android KitKat brand
Google and Nestlé are uniting to launch the latest version of the Android mobile system, named after the KitKat chocolate bar.
Android KitKat continues Google’s sweet-themed naming convention for updates to the operating system which includes names such as Android Cupcake and Android Jelly Bean. The co-branded venture with Nestlé is the first time, however, the technology firm has used an existing confectionery brand name.
No money has changed hand between the two companies with both looking to capitalise on the global appeal of both brands. A Twitter profile – complete with a KitKat-themed version of the Android robot – has launched as part of a marketing push from both companies. Nestlé has also launched a YouTube video titled the “Future of Confectionery” spoofing Apple ads to celebrate the partnership.
It features the chocolate brand’s “chief breaks officer” Chris Catlin describing the bar as “confectionery perfectionery”. He adds: “Every corner, every edge, every finger of every bar has been carefully considered and crafted to create a beautifully immersive and multisensory experience. And it really does taste as good as it looks.”
Additionally, more than 50 million specially branded KitKat bars will launch in over 19 countries including the UK, Brazil and the US over the coming weeks to mark the release of the platform. Fans will be able to visit a website where they can win prizes including Google Nexus 7 tablets, and credits to spend in Google Play,
Patrice Bula, Nestlé’s head of marketing, says: “KitKat is one of the world’s top ten fast-moving consumer goods brands in social media in terms of fan numbers and engagement. We continue to build on its strong digital presence with interactive, creative branding campaigns.”
Nestlé will be hoping the move helps lift customer perceptions of the company, particularly in the US, where it has been recently forced to recall numerous products, most recently bags of its Purina dog food following a salmonella scare.
The move comes as Google reveals its operating system has surpassed 1 billion activations, an increase of 100 million since the company last disclosed activation figures in May.
The announcement could stunt some of the buzz around around the expected launch of the latest Apple iPhone next week. The business is believed to be gearing up for the unveil of the iPhone 5S, a cheaper version of its hardware so it can better compete in emerging markets and with different sets of consumers.
